


Solace

by rsadelle



Category: Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 1999-10-21
Updated: 1999-10-21
Packaged: 2017-10-28 15:24:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/309304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rsadelle/pseuds/rsadelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lennie has a rough day at work.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Solace

**Author's Note:**

> In this world, John Munch and Lennie Brisco are living together in New York following John's transfer to the New York Special Victims Unit.

When John got home, Lennie was already there, on the couch, staring at a bottle of Scotch sitting next to a full shot glass on the coffee table.

"They let her go," Lennie said without looking up. "Ten year old girl bashes another kid's head in and the judge orders her mother to take her to therapy."

"It's a shitty world, Lennie."

"That's not going to make me feel any better the next time we pick her up for murder."

John dropped his coat onto a chair, loosened his tie, and unbuttoned his top two buttons. He eased himself down onto the couch and inclined his head toward the bottle. "You going to drink that?" he asked neutrally.

Lennie stared at the alcohol for another moment before answering. "No," he said. "No." He turned to give John a pleading look, then leaned over to rest his head on John's shoulder. John awkwardly put his arm around Lennie.

"I'm sorry," he offered.

"Yeah, me too." Lennie's voice caught on the last word and he turned farther into John's shoulder. John rubbed his hand in circles over Lennie's back, trying to soothe away the tension. Lennie relaxed into the touch for a moment before pulling away and pushing himself off the couch. He took the bottle and the glass into the kitchen where he emptied the contents into the sink. He washed out the bottle and the glass and set them next to the sink to dry. He dried his hands and turned back to John. "What do you want for dinner?"

"Why don't we order from that Italian place that delivers? We'll watch the game on TV and just relax."

Lennie nodded and picked up the phone to order dinner. They ate in front of the TV and watched the Mets lose. As the ten o'clock news started, Lennie took his plate into the kitchen and said, "I'm going to bed."

John looked up, surprised. "Okay. I'll be there in a while."

When John went to bed, Lennie was already asleep, curled in on himself on the far side of the bed. John sighed and carefully lowered himself into bed. He was asleep in minutes.

He woke up several hours later and lay still, trying to figure out what woke him. He rolled over and put an arm around his bedmate. "Lennie?"

"Just go back to sleep, John," Lennie said in a voice choked with tears.

"Lennie--"

"Just leave it alone, John. You wouldn't understand."

"Why not?"

"Because none of it ever bothers you. You work on horrible crimes and they don't even touch you."

"I try to leave it behind when I come home, but that doesn't mean it doesn't touch me." John pulled Lennie closer to him. He reached his hand up to wipe at Lennie's tears. "I do understand," he said into Lennie's ear. Lennie moved back so that he lay firmly pressed against John.

"Thanks," he said, tucking his head under John's chin.

John pulled himself up so he could lean over and kiss Lennie. "You're welcome." He kissed Lennie again. "Do you think you can get some sleep now?"

"Yeah. I think so."

"Sleep well."

"I will now."


End file.
